BOUDOIR SESSION PREPERATION GUIDE
As long as you show up, it’s going to be AMAZING! That’s it. That’s all you have to do. I’ve got the rest. Can’t wait to see you!
XO - Sara
HELLO, GORGEOUS!
I am so excited to be photographing you! I tend to over-communicate with my clients so they know exactly how to prepare and exactly what to expect throughout the whole process. Hope you don’t mind.
FEEL FREE TO RE-VISIT THIS PREP GUIDE AS OFTEN AS YOU’D LIKE.
First things first:
START REFLECTING
Exactly what kind of images are you hoping to walk away from your session with?
Do you find yourself drawn to anonymous images that show off the body?
Portraits?
Editorial style?
Have absolutely no idea?
It can be very difficult to articulate your own style, so we don’t ask you to. Instead, the first thing that I ask clients to do is to create a “secret” Pinterest board for their photo session. If you are not a Pinterest user, you can also just send me some photos, but I find that the secret board on Pinterest is the best way for you and I to get a good visual of the concept we’re going for.
Once that’s done, I want you to create a Pinterest board titled “(YOUR NAME) Boudoir” (it’s very important that you name your board with your name because otherwise I’ll have a hundred “MY BOUDOIR SHOOT” boards, and won’t know who is who and, without thinking too much about it, I want you to PIN anything that speaks to you and your style. We have lots of boards on our page for you to reference, but you can also take it upon yourself to venture out into Pinterest or pin images directly from this page or the rest of our website!
Here’s the link to my Pinterest
Try to turn off your fear and over-thinking at this point. Don’t say things like “OHH that’s so beautiful, but I would NEVER be able to pull that off!” or “I WISH I could look like that!”. That’s not the point of this exercise. After pinning 25 or so images, I will very easily be able to get a visual of your style and the type of images you are interested in.
Do you like sweet, bright, and bubbly?
Do you like dark, moody, and seductive?
Do you like shots that capture the entire body?
Do you like close-up teaser shots of body parts?
Do you prefer more modest portraits?
We’ll find out together!
The purpose of this is NOT to find photos to replicate! It is an inspiration and now that we both know the kind of images you really like, it will be easier to deliver a perfect vision for you!
TYPES OF IMAGES
While our standard style is “authentic cool girl” You’ll get it when you see your first image.
You’ll look confident and cool. It’s our specialty there are lots of different types of image categories to work with.
DETAIL SHOTS
Showcasing the beautiful bits that grace the female form. Collarbones, shoulders, arms, spines… these types of shots are perfect for a wall art display and to add visual balance to an album.
BEAUTY PORTRAITS
With or without clothes, these images include your face and a portion of your body.
CLASSIC BOUDOIR STYLE
If you’re here for the skin, we’ve got you covered. The Sara Monroe Studios boudoir style is elevated, effortless looking, and a beautiful celebration of the female form. Most boudoir-style images are shot nude, or while wearing sheets or some form of loungewear.
SEMI-SILHOUETTES
These bold, high-contrast statement images will leave you breathless. Mostly silhouetted, these types of shots look best in levels of undress…very sheer tops
WARDROBE TIPS
Honestly, and I’m not even close to exaggerating here, wardrobe is really not that crazy important for the way that I shoot. Please, please, please don’t stress out over wardrobe. Don’t feel the need to run out and buy all new things. I can do a completely versatile and awesome shoot with a single scarf, or the sheets, or a sweater.
Truly.
Don’t stress about it.
Here’s some wardrobe tips to calm your nerves and help you
decide what to bring:
The number one wardrobe rule is:
Do not bring outfits that you don’t love! I can’t tell you how many women show up with outfits that prompt them to say “i really don’t like the way i look in this one, but I’ll leave it up to you!”. If you don’t like the outfit, it’s likely that you won’t like photos of you in the outfit. Leave it at home.
Lingerie is not a must for boudoir:
Don’t be afraid to get creative! For a boudoir style shoot, a garter belt and thigh high fish nets would go great with a cropped sweater or graphic tee. A gorgeous bra can be paired with a long flowing skirt. Your favorite tank top can be paired with no pants. A sheet can be used for everything.
Your 20-year-old favorite tee shirt paired with cheeky bottoms will get the job done just perfectly. This is about you and your authentic personality, not about being someone you aren’t.
For beauty or portrait:
When in doubt, just bring in some of your favorite wardrobe items and let me style them for you. It’s part of the service and I’m happy to do it!
My Shoot Style Is very “I’m-Not-Trying-Too-Hard-Chic”!
We go for the “i woke up like this” look as often as possible.
For that look, the wardrobe is even less of an obstacle.
If wearing thigh-highs, buy them 1-2 sizes too big according to the size chart on the back.
Buying them in a size that supposedly “fits” according to the package size chart will likely result in the stockings giving a bit of a thigh muffin top ;) We can get them to stay up for each “pose”, or you can wear a garter belt to keep them from slipping.
Avoid tiny busy patterns & neon colors.
They are often harsh on-camera and a bit unflattering so try to avoid them.
Have several outfits picked out.
We can go through them together before your shoot to determine what will photograph best. We will have time for 1 outfit (nude counts as an outfit, if you’re wondering) for every 30 minutes you are scheduled…so that is 3 outfits for our “The WORKS” package.
Try to incorporate a variety of pieces into your wardrobe selections.
Having 5 different bra and panty sets won’t allow for a whole lot of variety in your photos. Rather, have something formal, something casual, something super textured and fun, something more modest, to something black and sleek...you get the idea.
It doesn’t have to be complicated…in fact, we welcome simplicity!
We love to work with pretty scarves, sheets, white button-down shirts, jackets and coats, or anything you love.
Pressed and Pretty
Make sure your wardrobe selections aren’t wrinkled, and cut all the tags off of your
sheer items before arriving.
Avoid Props
Unless it’s your second shoot with us, or unless you’re super crazy confident and comfortable! Props and uncertainty go together like…like…awkward school portraits. ;)
FLATTERING ALL FIGURES
CURVY BODIES
BRING ON THE FORM-FITTING ITEMS! I adore bodysuits, tight dresses, and nothing at all….especially for voluptuous bombshells. We often see curvy women trying to cover up more, but often that has the opposite effect they think it will. Allowing me to pose you so that we can see your figure and celebrate it is the way to go!
FLAT-BUTTS
Thongs tend to make a butt look fuller than full-coverage bottoms or g-strings. Play around in the mirror with different styles to see what you like best. And don’t worry, I’m a PRO at creating curves in posing where there aren’t any otherwise! I can get a killer booty shot with any level of curve (or lack thereof).
SHORTER LEGS
High heels with a THIN heel rather than chunky! Avoid shoes with thick ankle straps or a square toe. Nude shoes naturally elongate the legs.
THIN/NO CURVE
That’s all in the posing-girl! Form-fitting options and nothing at all work great as I pose the heck out of you to make you look and feel bodacious.
SMALL CHEST
Underwires and balconettes are lovely, as well as NO BRA AT ALL (my personal favorite for small chested women!) And also, small boobs rock. So please don’t feel the NEED to create extra “oomph” unless it’s something that
really concerns you.
MOM BOOBS
If your breasts are a bit lower or “floppier” than you’d like them to be, just be sure to snag a bra with some support, or form-fitting bodysuits that will keep them at bay. Posing will play a huge role here, and I’m really good at that. So…bring your mom boobs my way and we’ll embrace the hell out of them!
SURGERY SCARS & STRETCH MARK
My personal belief is that scars tell a story. Sometimes clients wish they didn’t have to be permanently reminded of that story, and other times, clients embrace their scars and say they’re a part of them. For this reason, I will never edit out a scar or stretch mark unless a client specifically requests it….and if they do, in fact, request that retouching, I will happily do that at no additional charge. This is a VERY personal topic and it’s not my decision to make.
GET YOUR BEAUTY SLEEP
SERIOUSLY!
PHOTOSHOP CAN’T FIX TIRED
PLAN AHEAD
Nothing puts a damper on a fun and relaxing photo shoot like feeling rushed or late! You should plan for traffic and arrive about 5 minutes before your scheduled start time.
PAMPER YOURSELF
Use this an opportunity to pamper yourself. Go a few days before your shoot and get a manicure and pedicure! This will give you a finished, polished look. Chipped polish can be distracting.
HAVE EXTRA WARDROBE OPTIONS
Bring at least 4-5 different outfits, a couple pair of shoes if you’re a shoe girl, and accessories only if you usually wear them. We may not use it all, but it never hurts to have options. Often clients will bring a ton of wardrobe options and I’ll just style up some different looks that they maybe weren’t thinking and they end up loving them.
LATHER ON THE LOTION
Supple is key for beautiful skin! Be sure to moisturize twice a day for the week leading up to your shoot. On the day of your shoot, use a non-bronzer illuminizing lotion. If you’re having a hard time finding an illuminizing lotion without color, you can absolutely just go with an oil based lotion like Argan Oil Moisturizer or Coconut Oil Moisturizer. Don’t use tinted lotions or anything with color. We will have some moisturizer at the studio for you to use if you don’t have a lotion you love.
MAKE A PLAYLIST
Music will really help you get into the supermodel zone!! Try to select music that matches the concept of your shoot. We have a bluetooth speaker at the studio to stream your tunes if you bring them! We also have a pretty kickass set of photo shoot playlists that tend to jive well with most people.
BRING A SOFT, LIGHTWEIGHT ROBE
Without any undergarments on while getting your makeup done. This will allow for any marks from tight bras, etc to even out so they don’t show up in your images. Avoid your big furry winter robe as that will tend to leave little dimples in your skin AND I find that most clients have a higher body temperature while they are getting makeup done because of nerves...it’s hard to do makeup when you’re sweating!
TRUST ME
I won’t make you do anything that is going to make you look bad. I’m a pro. I’ve been doing this for a long time and I know how to make a woman look good with killer poses, strategic lighting, and appropriate camera angles. I’ve photographed hundreds of women and have quite literally worked with EVERY body type and insecurity.
I’ve got you covered!
Don’t stress.
(Easier said than done, I understand.)
DON’T YOU DARE!
SPRAY TAN BEFORE YOUR SHOOT
I know you think that you look better with a tan...but I assure you, even if you don’t see the streaks and unevenness with your naked eye, the camera will pick them up. You will photograph a lot more tan than you think you look (especially given that my specialty is low-key lighting and black-and-white imagery), and spray tans will photograph orange in-color images. Trust me on this!! On that same note, no tinted lotions or bronzers on your body. Even after this warning, I get a lot of women who message me to say that they’ve been spray tanning for years and they cannot fathom not doing so before a photo shoot. Of course, I will still photograph you, but unfortunately, our standard retouch will not account for spray tan correction, so just keep that in mind.
BRING A CONSTRUCTION HAT (or other props)
If you have jewelry that has sentimental value, absolutely bring it! But avoid jerseys, military apparel, weapons (yes, really), sports equipment, masks, etc etc etc.
PARTY THE NIGHT BEFORE YOUR SHOOT
If you’re nervous, try a bubble bath and a yoga class. Hangovers aren’t sexy.
Lawwwwd do I know it.
DRINK RED WINE TO CALM YOUR NERVES
Don’t drink a bottle of red wine right before you show up in an effort to calm your nerves! #1-It will stain your teeth and lips. #2--Drunk doesn’t photograph pretty either. HOWEVER, I’m admittedly an advocate of a little bit of booze to soothe anxiety if you are super nervous. SO, I set a firm 2 drink maximum limit for my clients on the day of their shoot. Champagne or white wine is a good option because it won’t stain your mouth and will still calm you down a little. You’re welcome to bring a small bottle with you to the studio. We have non-alcoholic refreshments to offer you too!
FORGET TO STRETCH
Many of these poses, while they look effortless, are quite unnatural feeling. Take a few minutes on the morning of your shoot to stretch your arms, legs, hips, and especially your back. People are surprised to see how sore their muscles get after something as silly as a photo shoot, so any extra flexibility you can add by a quick yoga flow will only benefit you.
GET A NEW HAIRCUT / COLOR IMMEDIATELY BEFORE YOUR SHOOT
Now isn’t the time to experiment with a whole
new look.
TALK SMACK ABOUT YOURSELF
I don’t want to hear about how you hate your hips. I want to hear about how you LOVE your legs. A great attitude will go a long way in having a fabulous and upbeat experience!
HOWEVER...if you really feel the need to discuss the thing that bothers you the most about your body, just let me know by saying “I love my ___, but my biggest insecurity is my ___”. I will be extra careful to play down your “flaws”...but I will ALSO make it my challenge to take the best damn image featuring your ____ so you have a new-found appreciation for it.
ADDITIONAL TOPICS
WHAT ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT?
It happens all the time…a client’s photo shoot is a few days away and she begins to panic. I get a terrified e-mail in the middle of the night begging for me to talk them off the ledge. They want to cancel, they just haven’t had the time to prepare, you name the excuse, I’ve heard it. So let me be proactive here and tackle the most common trepidations I hear so that maybe you won’t be hyperventilating in the middle of the night on the day before your session.
STRESS ACNE
Yeah, it happens. Pimples suck. If you think for one second that every woman you see pictured on my website was magically pimple-free on the day of their session, you’re taking crazy pills. We retouch blemishes and bruises with ease on every photo you see. No problem. No stress. Let that pimple try it’s hardest to ruin your day, but your photos will not be a permanent reminder of it.
MY PERIOD
Yep, it’s the worst. No, it will not affect your finished product. We run an all-female studio and we ALL understand the plight of menstruation on photoshoot day. We keep extra strength Advil and feminine hygiene products on hand, and we have zero qualms with 30 bathroom breaks. Start your morning with some fresh fruit and a heating pad and we’ll take it from there. No worries about bloat or blemishes.
POSE ANXIETY
This one’s easy. You don’t have to know how to pose…not even a little bit. I will walk you through every step of the way. I will get into the poses myself and have you mirror me. If we don’t get it right on the first try, I’ll gently redirect you. It’s not YOUR job to take amazing photos, it’s mine. And I’m pretty competitive about taking amazing photos.
I’M NOT PHOTOGENIC
If you’re thinking that all of the women featured on the pages of my website and social media are models, you’re sorely mistaken. I have NEVER….EVER had a client who didn’t love their photos. You don’t have to love EVERY SINGLE ONE of them, but you will love most of them. And you will be shocked that you could love photos of yourself this much. I WILL rock out your photo session and I WILL get a whole bunch of killer images of you. I always do. But if you come into the shoot with an open mind and with trust in me, we’ll get EXTRA. And extra is always good. I’ve never met a woman who I couldn’t capture beautifully.
That includes you!
BODY ISSUES
I long for the day that women are comfortable in their skin at all stages, for the day that women embrace their wobbly bits and beautiful side creases. That said, I know women well enough to be realistic and understand that many women struggle with self-love and no matter how much I tell them they are beautiful, they wish they would have lost just a few more pounds before their session. If that is you, I can assure you, that this ain’t my first rodeo. The majority of the women that come in to see me are working on loving themselves, but struggle. They don’t approve of the size of their thighs, their belly pooch, their dimples. I take women’s feelings very seriously and never want to make anyone uncomfortable. While this is a body-positive studio, I will also light and pose you in the most flattering possible way while I shoot you from the best possible angles. I’ve spent the last decade photographing all kinds of women, all extraordinary in their own way. I’ve learned all the tricks to ensure that I am featuring the attributes that women most love about themselves, while paying special care to downplay areas of concern. While I’m going to make it my very best effort to change your mind on what you consider to be your “flaws”, I don’t expect every woman to be ready for that yet.
WHAT TO EXPECT
A COUPLE OF DAYS BEFORE YOU SHOOT, you can expect to get a confirmation from me, just making sure we are on the same page about your makeup start time, shoot start and end time, and location...and I’ll also ask if you have any last minute questions!
ON THE DAY OF YOUR SHOOT, your hair and makeup will be done by a member of our glam squad unless you’ve requested a natural beauty shoot. You should have your face clean and moisturized, and your hair dry and ready to be heat styled when you arrive. Make sure to wear loose-fitting clothing or a lightweight robe while getting makeup done and let us know in advance if you have any skin allergies at all. While you’re getting lovely, I will take a peek at your wardrobe selections and start putting together looks so we can hit the ground running when you’re done with hair and makeup. Once you’re done with makeup, you can get into your first look and throw a robe on over it.
ONCE THE SHOOT BEGINS, you can expect me to give you tons of encouragement and direction. I will not expect you to supermodel pose throughout your shoot. I will show you what to do, and encourage improvising whenever you feel comfortable. I will say things to elicit laughter whenever possible, too...so be prepared (or, actually, don’t. It’s better that way.) The poses generally aren’t very comfortable and your shoot will give you more of a workout than you anticipate. But I assure you, I know what I’m doing. Get a good stretch in the morning of your session, and the evening after your session. A couple of ibuprofen might need to happen for those lower back aches, but it will allll be worth it!
YOUR SHOOT TIME will FLY by. That’s a good thing!! That means it wasn’t awkward or boring. Just the right amount of fun! We do run a tight ship at the studio in regards to our schedule, so you’ll most definitely be out on time but never early.
AT THE END OF YOUR SHOOT, we will help you pack up your things, we’ll get you scheduled for your photo reveal appointment so you know exactly when you’ll be seeing your images, and we’ll collect your final balance if you haven’t already paid online. We’ll also give you a high five because, GIRL, you rocked it.
WITHIN 3 WEEKS of your shoot, you will have your photo reveal appointment with me so that you can see all of your proofs and order anything you’d like. You should be prepared to place your full order on the day of your photo reveal and ordering appointment. Most clients find themselves upgrading their album and adding images, and also
purchasing a piece or three of wall art.
AT YOUR PHOTO REVEAL appointment, we’ll relax on the couch and show a slide show of some of the highlight images from your session before diving into viewing your entire collection of at least 60 images. You’ll have the opportunity to flip through our beautiful album options and see all of our other available products. If your package included an album credit, we’ll explain your options to use the exact credit or to apply your credit towards an upgraded album and/or other products if you desire. We know you’re going to love your images, and these reveal appointments are so much fun. We can’t wait to share your photos with you!
WITHIN 3 MONTH of your photo reveal appointment, all of your purchased products will be ready for pickup, and sometimes sooner! We’ll send you an e-mail letting you know when your products are ready for pickup, or with your tracking number if you live out of the area and we are shipping to you.
WITHIN 6 MONTHS of your photo reveal appointment, you’ll want to do this again.
Trust us!
Existing clients get dibs on photo shoot time slots because we believe in special treatment.
Homework.
AHH, I bet you didn’t think you’d ever have to do homework again, did you? Think again, beautiful!
CREATE A SECRET PINTEREST BOARD
I want you to head on over to Pinterest and create a secret board called “(YOUR NAME) Boudoir”. Follow me, and then invite me to join the board that you’ve named “YOUR NAME PHOTO SHOOT”, and I want you to spend some time pinning images that speak to you. See my tip on this up above in the “Planning” suggestions. Don’t put too much thought into your pins, I just want to get a general idea of the aesthetic style you’re drawn to.
If you don’t have a Pinterest account and don’t feel like creating one, then just email me a sampling of at least 20 different images you’ve found online that you like.
JOIN MY FACEBOOK GROUP
Be sure to join the Sara Monroe Studios VIP Facebook Group to interact with past clients and share your excitement about your session!